Slot unfazed by Liverpool’s success as Reds eye League Cup Semis

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he is distracted by Liverpool’s blistering form across all competitions as he prepares his squad for their League Cup quarter-final clash against Southampton on Wednesday.

The Reds are currently top of the Premier League and the Champions League, having registered 19 wins in 23 games this season. Speaking at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, Slot emphasised that competing for multiple trophies is expected at Liverpool.

“It’s normal for Liverpool to be fighting for every trophy and to be for a long time in every cup,” said the Dutchman. “This happened last season when this club won this competition. I’m not surprised that with the quality we have, we are competing for these three trophies, and the fourth one (the FA Cup) starts in January.”

With a Premier League showdown against Tottenham looming at the weekend, Slot, dealing with a shortage of fit defenders, confirmed plans to rotate his squad. He hinted at opportunities for academy players and unexpected selections to cover defensive gaps.

“We have only four defenders available, and the ones that have started a lot of times will not play 90 minutes for sure—maybe not even at all,” he said. “So it’s going to be academy players or players nobody would expect to see in the last line.”

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher will start in place of Alisson Becker, while Kostas Tsimikas is nearing a return from injury. Forward Diogo Jota, who scored against Fulham after returning from injury, is unlikely to start, but Federico Chiesa could make his long-awaited return since September.

Slot, who must serve a touchline ban after receiving his third booking of the season against Fulham, will watch the Southampton tie from the stands. Slot acknowledged his competitive fire remains intact.

“I don’t always think you have to show it to have that fire,” he said. “If you work at a club like this or any top club, you do have that fire inside to win every game.”

Liverpool will look to secure their place in the League Cup semi-finals while maintaining momentum in their hunt for multiple trophies this season.